Lue Cee Rusiang Kotaro, a senior in psychology, is from a worldly family.

Kotaro, whose friends call her “Rus,” is from the South Pacific island of Palau. Her twin sister is studying medicine in Fiji, and her brother lives in Seattle.

After spending one year at Palau Community College, Kotaro decided to come to the United States. She was the first person in her family to come to America and her older sister and twin eventually followed her to the U.

Her older sister, Landisang “Landy” Kotaro is a sophomore in political science at the U and says Rus Kotaro is always there to support her.

“I like everything about my sister and I am very close to her. She is the reason I came to the U-I followed her,” Landy Kotaro said.

Rus Kotaro took a class on ethnic minority families from Irene Ota, dean of the College of Social Work, who said Kotaro had very insightful perspectives on the issues of migration, assimilation, discrimination and cultural sensitivity and understanding.

“She is very brave. She came to the U.S. by herself, away from family and friends, and has been quite successful in navigating in this society,” Ota said. “She encouraged her sisters to come and is helping them become successful as well.”

Her twin sister attended the U for two years but is now in Fiji for medical school. Her parents and brother are back home in Palau, while her other brother works for Alaskan Airlines in Seattle.

Landy Kotaro came to the U a year ago for school and to be with her sister.

Each sister said they chose the U for the education and love of the outdoors.

“I am not a big fan of reading and I hate being indoors,” Rus Kotaro said. “I love the snow and hate the cold. I also love water sports, the arts and hiking in Millcreek Canyon.”

Kotaro said she loves psychology because she enjoys learning about people and describes herself as a people person.

Many students often see both sisters working at the Union Services Desk.

James Comeford, a junior in environmental studies, is a coworker of the sisters.

“(Rus) is awesome,” he said. “Her laugh is contagious. They’re both good workers and good kids.”

Lukas Charles St. Clair, Union Building manager, said he respects the sisters.

“They are both fun-loving and I have never seen them angry about anything,” St. Clair said. “They are never in the wrong and are very responsible. There is not one person that has anything against them.”

Ota said she enjoyed her time with Rus Kotaro in her class.

“Rus is an advocate for social justice and she is a lot of fun,” Ota said.

Rus Kotaro plans to go back home for a year when she graduates in December.